Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the Government will take steps to prevent drinks products with sugar content over the maximum adult daily intake recommended by the World Health Organisation being advertised (a) as healthy and (b) to children.

In June, the Scientific Advisory Committee Report on Nutrition published its draft recommendations on Carbohydrates. The final report, together with advice from Public Health England on sugar in the diet, is due in the spring. This will inform the Government’s future thinking on sugar.

Health claims used in advertising of food products are authorised under European legislation based on robust scientific evidence and public health considerations.

The advertising of food high in fat, sugars and salt to children is already regulated by codes of practice for the broadcast and non-broadcast spheres. A total ban is in place on the advertising of foods high in fat, salt and sugar during children’s television programmes, on dedicated children’s broadcast channels and in television programmes “of particular appeal” to children under the age of 16.